Track instrument.



C. L. BUPP.

TRACK INSTRUMENT.

APPucATloN FILED MAR. 14. 1914.

Patented Apr. 8, 1917.

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CLINTON' L. BOPP, OF HAWKEYE, IOWA.

TRACK INSTRUMENT.

Application filed March 14, 1914.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, CLrN'roN L. BOPP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hawkeye, in the county of Fayette and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Track instruments; andIdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to track instruments for train signaling devices,and it consists in certain novel means for closing an electric switch orswitches in a` circuit or circuits to be connected with signal apparatusnot shown, said switches being'operated by means of a plunger and alever, which lever is in turn operated by the vibration of a rail.

ln the drawings, the view is a vertical section through a casing whichincloses the apparatus located adjacent to the track.

As shown in the drawing, a rail 10 of the usual and ordinary type isemployed which is deflected to a certain limited extent by the passageof a train thereover. Adjacent the rail a base 11 is disposed having afulcrum block 12 carrying a lever 13 vfulcrurned thereon having abifurcated end 14 engaging the flange of the rail so that at the passageof a train over such point the deflection of the rail will cause thebifurcated end of the lever 13 to be depressed and the opposite end tobe raised. rlhe last named end projects into the housing A which iserected also upon the base 11 and connected with the plunger 15 in anyapproved manner as byl the link 16.

Also within the housing A are spaced contacts 17, 18, 19 and 20insulated from each other and adapted to be electrically connected byplugs 21 and 22 which are carried by but insulated from a second plunger23 which is positioned to be lifted by the plunger 15 but separatedtherefrom as at 24 so that when the plunger 23 is once lifted thejarring occasioned by the passage of wheels over the rail will have noeffect upon the plugs 21 and 22 which are serving to conneet thecontacts above mentioned.

Simultaneously with the raising of plunger 23 contact is made with thethird or ramp rail and current energizes the magnet or 91, whichattracts the depending arn f matures 95 and 96 pivoted to the frame A.

This action forces one of the points 97 or Speciication of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

Serial No. 824,730.

98 under the shoulder 23 formed at the bottom of plunger 23 which holdsthe same until the magnets are denergized when weight 99 or 100 throwsthe armature out to normal position. i

A lower ramp rail or third rail 46 is connected by wire 54 with magnets55 and the latter are connected with contact 19 by wire 56. Adjacentcontact 2O is connected with wire 30 leading to apparatus B connectedwith the signal mechanism. Upper ramp or third rail 90 is insulated fromthe lower ramp rail and is connected by wire 90 with magnets 91, andwire 91 connects with contact 18 located opposite contact 17, whichlatter is connected by wire 17 with apparatus belonging to the signalmechanism.

The signal mechanism located at a given station is illustratedconventionally by B, and the apparatus to be carried by the train isdesignated D. For the purpose of showing the operation of the trackinstrument, simple circuits are shown connecting said instrument withthe ramp rail and with B and D. If lower ramp rail 46 is engaged bybrush 44 carried by the train, the circuit from battery 57 (grounded at58') would run through apparatus B, wire 30, members 20, 22, 19, wire56, magnets 55, wire 54, ramp rail 46, brush 44, wire 47, cab apparatusD, wire 4S, aXle 49, wheel 50, rail 10, wire 51 to ground (the other endof this circuit being grounded at 58', as stated). Il brush 44 engagesupper ramp rail 90, the path of the current from apparatus B, throughcasing A, will be over wire 17', and its direct connections alreadydescribed, thence to rail 90 and brush 44, the current passing to cabapparatus D and through the car axle to the ground, as in the case abovedescribed.

lt is intended that one particular type ot train, as passenger trains,will carry their brushes to engage the lower third rail or ramp railsections while lreight trains may carry their brushes to engage theupper third rail sections. 0n double track railroad systems, theengineer of the second train would know better how to regulate the speedof his train if he were certain as to what kind of train was ahead ofhim. A passenger express would have to slow up considerably whenentering a block already occupied by a freight while a freight engineentering the block after the eX ress would not need to fear any danger oovertaking the fast express and the engineer could regulate the speed ofhis engine accordingly.

Vhat I claim is:

l. In a signaling device, a switch, a circuit connected therewith, meansfor retainin'gthe switch closed', a defiectable rail, and means foroperating the switch by the vibration of the rail land preventingsubsequent vibration from being communicated to the, switch until thelatter has been opened, said means last mentioned includingv aYplurality `of abutting members movable together, one 'of said membersbeing also movable independently of the other and out of contacttherewith.

2. In a signaling device, a` housing, a plunger reciprocably mountedwithin the housing, means to reciprocate the plunger,

ya switch located within the housing, a second plunger in alinement withthe first named plunger adapted to engage the first plungerandy havingvareduced portion to form a shoulder, a plug carried by the secondlnamed plunger adapted to close the switch as the first named plunger israised,'

an electro-magnet mounted within the Vhousing, a pivoted catch normallyvheld away from said shoulder, a circuit including the switch andelectro-magnet, means to' closeY said circuit afs the rst named plunger1s raised to close the said switch, said electromagnetiadapfted when thecircuit is closed to move the catchrunder the shoulder to hold thesecond named plunger in raised position,

said shoulder and catch being positioned to hold theI second plunger outof contact with the plunger first mentioned;

In a' signaling device a housing, a

plunger, means to reciprocate said plunger vertically, a `second plungeradapted to engage the first plunger and having a reduced portiondefining a shoulder, a pivoted catch adapted to engage said shoulder andmove from said. shoulder, a switch located within the housing, a plugcarried by the second plunger adapted to close the switch when the firstnamed plunger engages and raises the second plunger, an electro-magnet'located adjacent said catch, a circuit including the switch andelectro-magnet, means to close said circuit when the switch is closed,said electro-magnet Aadapted to move the catch to engage the shoulderwhen the circuit is closed, said shoulder and catch being positioned tohold the second plunger out of contact with the plunger first mentioned,and gravity controlled means adapted to move said catch away from theshoulder when said circuit is broken.

4. In a device of the class described, a switch and a circuit connectedtherewith, a rail and mechanism for operating the switch by thevibration of the rail including a plunger and a reciprocable member foractuating the plunger by impact, retaining means for the plunger andswitch, said plunger being thrown out of engagement with said member attimes and held out of engagement by said retaining means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLINTON L. BOPP. Witnesses:

SAM L. SHALEs, CLYDE A. MUNsoN.

Copies of'tliiis patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

